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F E AT U R E S
Comprehensive book
introductions
INTRODUCTION TO
PHILIPPIANS
AUTHOR
Paul claims to be the author of this letter (1:1), and there has been no serious dispute about this
claim.
ADDRESSEES
Paul first visited the Roman colony of Philippi on his second missionary journey (Acts 16:12) in the
early 50s. The first converts were Lydia and her household (Acts 16:14 – 15), the jailer and his house-
hold (Acts 16:33 – 34), and others (Acts 16:40). The letter also names Epaphroditus (2:25) and Euodia
and Syntyche (4:2). There were probably many more, though it is impossible to know how many.
DATE AND PLACE OF COMPOSITION
We do not know for certain when or where Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians. Conclusions
depend largely upon which imprisonment 1:13 refers to and upon what “palace guard” (1:13) and
“ Caesar’s household” (4:22) mean. Paul might have been in prison in Ephesus about AD 55, though
this is not based on strong evidence; he certainly was in prison in Caesarea about AD 57 – 59
(Acts 24:22 – 27) and in prison in Rome about AD 60 – 62 (Acts 28:15 – 31). The reference to “Caesar’s
household” does not rule out Caesarea, but Rome is more likely. Paul, therefore, probably wrote
Philippians from Rome about AD 60 – 62, while Nero was emperor, and so the church was about
ten years old when he composed this letter.
OCCASION AND PURPOSE
One of Paul’s main impulses for writing is to acknowl-
edge the gifts from the Philippians (4:10 – 19). He also
urges two individuals to be reconciled to one another,
and he encourages the Philippians to remain faith-
ful to the Lord (4:1 – 3). He reassures them about his
circumstances and his plans to send Timothy in the
future (chs. 1 – 2), and he warns of false teachers (ch. 3).
Paul has the opportunity to write, which might not
otherwise have arisen, because he is sending Epaphro-
ditus back to Philippi (2:25).
THEOLOGY AND THEMES
In the book of Philippians, Paul speaks of “being poured
out like a drink off